MAGGIE’S UPDATE

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Maggie’s restaurant is under construction at 1201 State St., the former home of State & A Bar and Grill. I sent an email inquiring about the status of the eatery and received this update from owner Maggie Shulman:

John,

Thanks for your interest in our restaurant. Unfortunately, it took nine months to birth a permit from the city. Happily, the permit was recently issued and much progress has taken place, including the much talked about, roof over the patio. The entire restaurant was stripped to the studs and rebuilt from the bottom up. A 500 sq ft addition has already been added to the kitchen. Yet, there is oh so much more in the works. The approximate timing of our opening is early summer.

10 Responses to MAGGIE’S UPDATE

When the economy hit bottom, the City decided it was better to mess with people’s permits and charge more fees than it was to help people get businesses open quickly and efficiently. Landlords get all the blame, but many times deals for vacant space get killed because the business owner investigates their construction costs/timelines and the city bends them over a barrel, and the business owner walks away leaving spaces vacant.

What are you all talking about? I see lot’s of new food businesses in this town. Just build a plywood cart and stock it with syrups from Smart and Final and some mangoes from the swap meet,fry some chicharones in your kitchen and don’t forget the homemade block of ice in the trash bag.Just head to Alice Keck,the beach or any of our local soccer fields and you will see dozens of these entrepreneurs.No license,no taxes-No Problema!

Maybe your borderline racist comments should be shut down and fined. You should probably go out there on Saturdays and give them some old fashioned American vigilante justice, you know harassment, threats that kind of thing. Then this country will be safe from this horrible threat.

Sooo disappointed that it is taking this long for the remodel. The State and A was the place my husband and I had our 1st date 25 years ago (upcoming) on April 7th. We were so looking forward to recreating that day, eating on the patio together. That’s where it all began for us. We have been married now almost 23 years. Such a bummer and the day won’t be the same.
Good luck with the City red-tape and contractor nightmares.

Yes there is a lot of red tape, permit cost, redrawings, inspections….the cost of doing business in our town. What would Santa Barbara look like if we could put up any size sign on a State St. store. it is what it is, mexiacans pushing a food cart ????? Maggie & Berry are two of the hardest working people I know…this place will be the bomb. Hurry up folks im starving…seeing black.

Why must people always attack Mexicans. There are so many races here, you cannot assume they are all Mexicans, people! By the way Edward you spelled it wrong. Are you that Angry you cant concentrate to spell!
Bash on us, but continue to give us the crappy jobs and work for less. Yup it all works.
Life would be best, if people just stuck to the subject (Maggies opening) and stopped being ignorant!!